(RTTNews) - Rupert Murdoch-controlled media conglomerate News Corp. (NWS: News ) has held talks with software giant Microsoft Corp. (MSFT: News ) that could result in News Corp. removing its newspaper content from Google Inc.'s (GOOG: News ) search engine while continuing to feature it on Microsoft's online properties, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The talks are still at a very early stage and may not result in a deal, the Journal said and added that it was not clear whether the talks include News Corp.'s non-newspaper sites, such as its popular MySpace social-network or Fox television properties.

The Financial Times first reported the talks between News Corp. and Microsoft on Sunday.
News Corp. owns many newspapers including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The Times of London and The Sun in the U.K.

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by RTT Staff Writer

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